Thinking patterns, 7 questions to gain clear insight

An article from the scientific journal Cognition and Emotion (2022) describes that people who often feel gloomy are more likely to remember negative events than positive events. This phenomenon is called negative selection bias.

Fun fact!

A group of researchers has discovered that negative selection bias can also be triggered by music. In a 2021 study (published in the journal Psychology of Music), participants were asked to rate a list of words while listening to music. Participants who listened to somber music had more difficulty remembering the positive words than those who listened to upbeat music.

This research suggests that music can have a powerful influence on our thoughts and emotions. Listening to somber music can cause us to focus on the negative aspects of our world, which can make us feel more somber.

Thinking patterns exercise

The exercise we give here helps you gain insight into your own thinking patterns.

Take some time today to sit down and think of a situation in which you felt uncomfortable or even unhappy, or which put you in a gloomy mood. Write down this situation. What were your thoughts in that moment, or what are your thoughts about this situation? Write down these thoughts. Now you are going to "challenge" these thoughts by asking the following questions of yourself:

1. Is this really true? Aren't you exaggerating?
2. How would another person view this situation?
3. What would you say to a friend who tells you this?
4. Is the way you think about it now the only possible way?
5. Suppose what you think is indeed true, what does this mean?
6. Why is it bad if this were so? What options would you then have for dealing with this situation? Could you (eventually) put up with this?
7. Do these thoughts help you feel and behave in a way you want? Is this really true?

Try to answer the above questions as honestly as possible without immediately listening to your own judgment. You can repeat this exercise more often if you notice that you are struggling with negative thought patterns. It may take some discipline and effort, but remember that it's for your own well-being. And take note: it really works! Would you like to work more on yourself and your thought patterns? Take a look at ourCoaching Programs page!